Sweet Sixteen, Sweet Kathleen
A/N: Ah the joys of Hormones, the over active emotions, the abrupt mood swings…the fits of almost unprovoked anger…ah…aren't they grand? (BWAHAHAHAHAhhahah) Harry's always been a bit…short wicked hasn't he? (snickers) oh and I'm sorry, I know that I said at the end of the last chap that this chap would be 'Kats Birthday' but this sprang up and ended up coming first. Sorry.
Chapter 3:
Welcome home to Number Four…Not
When they reached Privet Drive, Harry and Kat turned their separate ways,
"See you tomorrow!" Kat yelled from her front door, Harry turned at her voice and continued to walk backwards towards number four
"Yeah, ten?" he asked, Kat grinned
"Sure, night Harry"
"Night-" he called and as soon as the word escaped his mouth he fell over, having tripped on the gutter behind him, Kat laughed as she closed the door.
"Nice exit Harry" the voice behind him said with a snide chuckle. Harry scowled as he got back to his feet
"Shut it Dudley," he said as he turned to face his lump of a cousin. He was leaning in the doorframe, his bulky body blocking almost all the light from inside. Dudley arched a fat brow
"Or you'll what?" he asked, Harry smiled innocently
"Have you forgotten this s'moring already?" he asked, Dudley growled
"You're trying to intimidate me," he said, Harry laughed aloud
"Is that what I'm doing?"
Dudley scowled again and took a step towards Harry, his fists clenched at his sides
"I'm stronger then you, I could hurt you," he said through gritted teeth, Harry found his fingers reaching for his wand
"Yeah, you probably are. But I'm faster the you, and…" Harry let the sentence draw out as he produced his wand, he kept it between himself and Dudley so no one else in the street could see it if they looked out a window. Dudley's eyes were drawn to the piece of wood, his bottom lip quavering
"I don't like your tone" he said, obviously scared, obviously trying to hide it…
"You shouldn't" Harry said and before he could defend himself…
Dudley hit him.
Harry fell to the path, blood streaming down his face and his nose on fire. With one hand still clutching at his painful nose he looked up just in time to see a flash of red light. Suddenly the street was utterly dark, not even the street lights were on…how didn't I notice them go out!
"Harry! Where the hell were you!" he heard a familiar voice demand. Harry winced at the speakers' tone. I'm in trouble.
"Well?" Harry turned around slowly to see Remus Lupin standing behind him, his wand still in hand, his hands on his hips.
"Er…I was…er…thanks for nocking Dudley out for me" He said as he struggled to his feet, one hand still holding his nose. Remus sighed and helped him up,
"Don't change the subject, where were you?" he asked again, his tone not so demanding this time, just tired.
Harry hung his head, trying to wipe some of the blood from his face without touching his throbbing nose.
"I was at the Pizza Place," he mumbled. Moony rubbed at his temples,
"Why? You know you aren't allowed out of the house" he said, Harry frowned
"I'm Seventeen! Do you really expect me to 'stay put and be a good boy'? And have you ever been in there? They treat me like dirt! No, worse then dirt! They don't want me, and I don't want them!" Harry yelled, ignoring the spikes of pain that speared through his nose.
Without looking at Dudleys still form , Harry thrust his hand at it
"That is the sort of stuff I've put up with for most of my life. Being provoked and then reaping the bloody consequences!" Harry continued, breathing deeply. Remus looked up at the crescent moon hanging low in the sky
"Every teenager feels like that Harry" he said, Harry's gaze darkened
"Yeah, well add the weight of the Wizarding world" he spat. Remembering the wand in his hand he pointed it at his face
"Scorgify" he said and tiny pink bubbles tickled his face for a moment before they disappeared along with the blood they had cleaned away.
"Harry, we all know how hard it is being a teenager, but you have to understand. We do expect you to 'stay put and be a good boy', if not for yourself then for, as you said, the Wizarding world" Harry's shoulders slumped, he'd been stupid…but I deserve some sort of 'time off' don't I?
Lupin reached out and grasped his shoulder, squeezing it tightly for a moment before he said
"I know that sounds like a lot, but you are seen as a source of hope to most of wizard kind. Imagine how they'd feel if their 'saviour' died because he 'went out for Pizza' and was ambushed?" Harry slowly looked up into Remus's shadowed face; he was looking tried and worn. Almost fraying at the edges. It was Harry's turn to sigh
"I know…but…can't I just be Harry for once? Just plain Harry? Not the Boy-Who-Lived?" He asked, hating how pathetic and wishful his voice sounded. Lupin flicked his wand at him and immediately Harry felt the throbbing in his nose stop,
"Thanks" he muttered before Moony said
"True you're 'the Boy Who Lived' to some, to most in fact, but your also Harry, just plain Harry" the black haired boy looked up, waiting for Remus to finish
"And?" he prompted
His former professor laughed
"Nope, that's it." Seeing Harry's confused expression he elaborated
"You are who you want to be, here-" he looked around, Harry noticed his eyes lingering on number six "-You're just the 'Boy-Who-Lives-In-Number-Four, and isn't here most of the time" Harry felt a smile tug at his lips
"On the Quiddich field you're 'the youngest Seeker in a century', in Defence Against the Dark Arts you're an 'exceptional' student, and in Potions you're 'Potter, pay attention', and-" even in the darkness Harry could see Moony's eyes twinkling with mischief
"-Apparently, in number six you're a handsome, single, young man" Harry felt that all too familiar feeling of heat as another blush rose on his cheeks.
"You saw…" Harry looked over the street, Lupin nodded
"Yes, and other order members will too" he said, his serious tone returning.
"Just go inside and stay out of trouble, and please, if you have to go out at least wait until whatever order member is here can follow you" Harry growled under his breath. And what if I don't want to be followed?
"Harry? Promise me you won't go out after dark" Harry looked up, his eyes wide with outrage
"What! Your giving me a curfew?" he spluttered, Remus nodded
"Its for your own good-"
"-No it isn't! You just want to control me like Dumbledore! You all just want to 'keep me safe' but all your doing is KEEPING ME CAPTIVE!" Harry spat before he turned and jumped over his cousin, he opened the front door to number four and slammed it shut behind him, cutting off any response Remus might have had.
Vernon jumped at the sound, his fat form almost taking up all of the room in the hall; he glared at Harry, his face rapidly turning red.
"What are you doing!" he growled but Harry shot him a look that made him turn pale and shrink backwards
"Shut up!" Harry yelled, and a picture on the hallway wall shattered.
"What is going on?" Petunia demanded as she appeared in the kitchen doorway, her oven mitts still in place.
Harry scowled at her too, you're trying your luck a little voice whispered in his ear and for once he took its advice and stormed to his room.
As soon as the door was closed behind him he kicked the wall, making a satisfying dint in the plaster. Why is everything so unfair? He demanded as he collapsed onto his threadbare bed, a spring dung into his shoulder and he rolled over, his mood only worsening.
They treat me like a kid! Like I couldn't see what was dangerous without someone pointing it out to me! He got back to his feet and began to pace, back and forth, Why can't they see that I can look after my self! Back and forth I'm more able then most of them! Back and forth I've taken down a basilisk! Back and forth I was eleven when I saved the Philosophers stone! Back and forth I was at the graveyard! Back and forth I WAS THERE WHEN DUMBELDORE DIED! The glass in the window cracked and Harry stopped where he was, his hands in fists at his side. I was there when Dumbledore died…and Cedric …and Sirius …Harry sank back onto his bed again, it creaked in protest.
And my parents…absent-mindedly he reached out and grabbed the photo beside his bed, his parents on there wedding day, he'd taken it out of the photo album Hagrid had given him. He looked down at their smiling faces; his own messy hair topped his father's head, his own emerald green eyes gazed lovingly at his father only framed by his mothers lashes instead of his own. They all looked so happy…even as he watched James leaned over and kissed Lily's cheek, earning a silent giggle and a kiss in return.
I as good as killed them he thought…I did everything but hold the wand.
He gently put the picture frame back in place and laid back down on the bed…slowly sleep over came his turmoiled thoughts.
-oOo-
"GET DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW HARRY POTTER!" the shrill scream woke Harry with a start, what a sound to wake up to, he thought numbly as he glared at the ceiling. Faintly he realised the fowl mood he'd fallen asleep with was still hanging over him.
"NO!" he yelled, his green eyes still glued to the ceiling…never noticed that stain before…
"YOU WILL DO AS YOUR TOLD! COME DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!" it was Vernon this time. Harry sat up
"NO!" he bellowed at the door as he took his glasses from his face and straightened them as best he could…I really need to get a new pair of these…
"IF YOU DON'T GET DOWN HERE YOU'LL GET NO SUPPER FOR A WEEK!" Vernon continued and Harry was surprised the walls weren't shaking.
"NO!" Harry yelled, getting to his feet and picking the photo frame from the floor, must have fallen during the night…
"GET DOWN HERE NOW! YOU UNGRATFUL-"
"YOU BETTER SHUT UP! THE NEIGHBOURS MIGHT HEAR!" Harry taunted as he pushed his wardrobe in front of his door. A moment later the door shuddered as something large (and flabby) rammed into it with force.
"OPEN THIS DOOR!" Vernon roared, making Harry's ears ring.
"ARE YOU AS STUPID AS YOU LOOK? I SAID NO!" Harry retorted, as he pulled his shirt over his head. He threw it over his shoulder and it landed in a messy pile beside his bed with the rest of his dirty clothes.
"OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!" his uncle roared, his voice cracking, Harry could picture the spit pummelling his door very vividly. Throwing a quick look at the door which still held firm behind his wardrobe Harry began to root through his Hogwarts chest (he'd broken all of his things out of the cupboard under the stairs the moment he had turned seventeen) searching for a shirt. Once he'd finally found one (a red one) he slipped it quickly over his head.
"IF YOU DON"T OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW YOU WON'T HAVE ANY SUPPER!" Vernon screamed, Harry rolled his eyes as he made sure his wand was still safely in his pocket
"YOU'VE ALREADY THREATENED ME WITH THAT!" he yelled as he turned to the window, he was getting good at using this escape route. He slid the window open nosily ('WHAT'S THAT SOUND?') and slipped his legs out, as soon as he felt the trellis under his sneakered foot he began to climb down.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHAT EVER IT IS STOP!" Vernon Dursley yelled and Harry chuckled, dropping to the grass in the front yard with a soft 'thump'.
"No" he said with a smirk as he looked at his watch (9:58 pm) and put his hands in his pockets. He casually began to stroll towards number Six, ignoring the pale face of a nosy neighbour that was peeking from behind her curtains. It was funny how easy it was to pretend that jumping out of the second floor window was the most normal thing in the world.
Wonder how long it'll take for him to realise I'm not there?
Hehe, just thought i'd show you all how disfuntional Harry's home life is.
Mali
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